NHL brings officiating lessons abroad at 2024 European Summer Exposure Combine

Peter Gebei said he’s living vicariously through the referees and linesmen who recently attended the 2024 European Summer Exposure Combine supported by the NHL in Budapest, Hungary.

“It was my dream, going to the NHL,” said Gebei, the 48-year-old referee in chief for the Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation and a driving force in the creation of the camp. “I’m too old now. But everybody in the camp, every morning worked hard, full focus all the time. Everybody (was) feeling the dream, feeling the NHL.”

Nearly 60 top-level officials from 17 countries participated in the July 3-6 Budapest combine where they received instruction on a wide range of officiating topics including rules interpretation, positioning, communication and game management.

The lessons were taught by top NHL and International Ice Hockey Federation officials: Stephen Walkom, NHL Executive Vice President and Director of Officiating; Al Kimmel, NHL Director of Scouting and Development; Mike Leggo, NHL Scouting and Development Officiating Manager; Dave Smith, former NHL Director of Fitness for Game Officials and currently a consultant to the League; Chris Edwards, NHL Scouting and Development Officiating Manager; Tom Masters, NHL Director of Video Operations; and Gebei, an IIHF officiating coach who has officiated in leagues in Europe and Russia.

“The talent level was impressive,” Leggo said. “Lots of good skaters, lots of people who were eager. We had classroom sessions and on-ice sessions, and we also played games and watched them referee, pretty much similar to our combine in Buffalo.

“We were not only able to kind of do the philosophy of officiating, but we also gave them the nuts and bolts while we saw them on the ice regarding positioning and how to comport themselves and communication. I think they appreciated that the most, learning from our NHL videos, our NHL system, our NHL communication methods and how we think.”